The first thing that strikes my mind whenever I talk about riding is – “The wheel is a great invention, Two wheels with a Motor in between is even better!”. I am here to share my experience about my Honda Eterno. I am Aditya, 17, A science student in New Delhi. Though I have a scooter, I am a big bike enthusiast. My love story with my Eterno is a lil different from that of others.
This Eterno was bought was my father in the year 2005, when I was just 12. It was against my decision for I didn’t liked the Eterno much and not wanted to own it. From my earlier days, I had an eagerness to ride fast, popping out wheelies, High speed racing etc. but could not accomplish with a 1992 model Bajaj Chetak which my dad earlier had. So, with the arrival of this machine to my house, all these passions of mine were going to be a true!! One fine day, when I was alone at my place, I took a risk, and took off with my Eterno into the streets of New delhi with that little knowledge that I had about riding a scooter ( Earlier i had rode my friend’s LML Select II around 4 times).
To my surprise, the entire ride was a pleasure to me, the handling, the gearshift, the riding posture, the comfort level all suited me at the best. From that day, and the day today, when I am writing this review, I had many great experiences with my Eterno. i started loving it, the first day i rode it. And here I am, writing the first review of Honda Eterno on this blog.
LOOKS: The scooter is levied with the latest looks of its time. Still, no geared scooter competes with it in terms of looks. The wide front Headlight, the beautifully made speedometer, the overall scooter design and what not to talk about are the best that can be given to a geared scooter, with awesome aerodynamics. The Honda logo on the handle, below the speedometer, and the sticker work showing “Eterno” are just awesome and a joy to look at.
PERFORMANCE AND MILEAGE: This is the main section of this review, where the reader will not move his eyes away from the screen. One thing that will strike your mind as soon as you ride this scooter is ” Wow, what a smooth scooter”. Well, the scooter is powered by a 147.7cc, 4 stroke mill which churns out a maximum of 8.3 Bhp of power with 10.63 Nm of maximum torque. It has 4 gears which are brilliantly smooth and do their job very well. The Engine note is awesome and the scooter rushes forward as soon as the clutch is released. The pickup is awesome, and the speedometer needle moving upwards with such a rush is an inspiration in itself.
I had driven my Eterno to speeds like 95 – 100 kmph and there were no signs of vibrations. The engine was super-refined. Honda Eterno has double spring hydraulic suspension which makes your ride a heaven and swallows all the potholes on Indian roads with ease. The 0-60 acceleration awesome was awesome which was acheived by me in approximately 6.5 secs, but slowly and gradually the acceleration slows down till 80kmph and further slowed down till 100kmph on the speedo.It really needs a long road to hit 100kmph, and many a times it is not possible on Indian roads. This kind of demonic acceleration on a 8.3bhp scooter was only possible due to its lesser weight. The Eterno weighs only 125kgs. Plenty of low and mid range torque is present which is ideal for city riding. But, the braking section seriously needs some inspection.
The brakes got loosed only after a week I got it serviced. Also, the durability of brake shoe is lesser. But, yes, braking power is good. The tires also do their job very well. I have many a times managed to take sharps turns with a speeds of 40-60 kmph on the speedo, by leaning myself and the scooter towards the direction of the turn, without skidding or any kind of problem. But Honda should have included MRF ZAPPER sports tyres for more better grip and stopping power. During the running in period, I got a mileage of 55+ kmpl in city conditions. After the running in was over I still managed to get a mileage of 48-50 kmpl in city conditions and around 65 kmpl on the highways, which in my opinion is not bad at all. The fuel tank has a capacity of 4.5 L and 2L is left after reserve. The headlights do their job a bit poor. They have poor illumination on road, for which the rider may have to face some problems. But, yes, overall a good performance scooter.
rating: (4/5)
COMFORT AND HANDLING: When heading up towards the city traffic, none of the geared scooters can challenge this one in city traffic, due to its handling. Where a LML rider will have a confidence to do 50, the rider on Eterno will have to do 60-70 kmph or more. Believe me my friends, I have myself won many street races on it. I have many times left Bajaj and LML scooters playing in dust when they raced with me (though they are legends), even a Bajaj Pulsar 180 dtsi UG 3, on a very busy and narrow street, with both of us having the same experience.
Talking further about comfort is very exciting too. You will never experience any kind of back ache or wrist ache during long journeys. The seating position is very relaxing and makes it a joy to ride the Eterno. The pillion comfort is awesome too, even for a lady wearing saree, she can easily catch the grab handles and make herself steady. The rear mirrors do their work really well and show a clean picture of what is behind you. Overall Honda eterno offers the best package for comfort and handling.
rating (4.5/5)
QUALITY, DURABILITY AND SERVICE: The quality and durability of Honda Eterno is up to the mark. My Eterno is 5 years old now, and till now i have not faced any kind of problem with the engine like Mileage Dips, vibrations etc. Its still carrying the same engine note. And also, I am very satisfied with the service provided by Honda guys since 5 years. No complaints at all !! Also the service network is good and easily available. The spare parts are reasonably priced and they are also easily available.
rating (3.5/5)
VALUE FOR MONEY: I found the Honda Eterno to be a great value for money scooter. If one wants a trouble free, comfortable ride on a scooter at an unbeatable price, this has to be it, with amazing features, mileage and an overall package. I bought my Honda Eterno at an attractive price of Rs 37650/- on-road, New Delhi.
rating (5/5)
PROS:
1. Great comfort and Handling.
2. Best Mileage in its class.
3. Awesome looks with an aerodynamic body,
4. Super-refined engine,
5. Good storage space.
CONS:
1. Need for MRF ZAPPER sports were felt.
2. Headlight illumination was not up to the mark.
3. All DC setup was absent.
4. Brakes durability was not up to the mark.
– Aditya Chatterjee
